HOSPITAL managers have apologised to a family after allegations that a dying woman was discharged before arrangements for home care were in place.

Ian Clark, 44, from Gilesgate Moor, Durham, and his brother, Malcolm, who now lives in Queensland, Australia, wrote to John Saxby, chief executive of the County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, to complain at the way their mother, Betsy Clark, was treated.

The brothers said the discharge process was "callous and unfeeling" and became like "any other impersonal, corporate machine".

On Monday, October 3, doctors told the family that nothing more could be done for Mrs Clark and recommended she be discharged.

The brothers said they were told that home visits would be made four times a day by nurses, who would be able to manage their mother's medication needs.

They also said they were told she would not leave hospital until all services and equipment were in place.

The brothers found out that the home care would be provided by care staff who could prescribe medication but were not nurse-prescribers.

When Mrs Clark was sent home from the University Hospital of North Durham, the brothers were upset to find their mother was not wearing her own clothes.

Mr Saxby, writing to the brothers, said if staff appeared zealous it was "simply to achieve the best for your mother, who was terminally ill and wished to die at home".

He said there had been a mix-up over the clothes and apologised for any distress caused.

He said a manager involved in the case intended to spend time shadowing a district nurse with care management responsibilities to improve their knowledge of procedures.

He said every effort would now be made to improve services.